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- Boesgaard, T. W., et al.
(författare)
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The common SLC30A8 Arg325Trp variant is associated with reduced first-phase insulin release in 846 non-diabetic offspring of type 2 diabetes patients--the EUGENE2 study
- 2008
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Ingår i: Diabetologia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0012-186X .- 1432-0428. ; 51:5, s. 816-20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: A recent genome-wide association study identified the SLC30A8 rs13266634 polymorphism encoding an Arg325Trp polymorphism in the zinc transporter protein member 8 (ZnT-8) to be associated with type 2 diabetes. Here, we investigate whether the polymorphism is related to altered insulin release in response to intravenous and oral glucose loads in non-diabetic offspring of type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: We genotyped SLC30A8 rs13266634 in 846 non-diabetic offspring of type 2 diabetic patients from five different white populations: Danish (n = 271), Finnish (n = 217), German (n = 149), Italian (n = 109) and Swedish (n = 100). Participants were subjected to both IVGTTs and OGTTs, and measurements of insulin sensitivity. RESULTS: Homozygous carriers of the major type 2 diabetes C risk-allele showed a 19% decrease in first-phase insulin release (0-10 min) measured during the IVGTT (CC 3,624 +/- 3,197; CT 3,763 +/- 2,674; TT 4,478 +/- 3,032 pmol l(-1) min(-1), mean +/- SD; p = 0.007). We found no significant genotype effect on insulin release measured during the OGTT or on estimates of insulin sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Of European non-diabetic offspring of type 2 diabetes patients, 46% are homozygous carriers of the Arg325Trp polymorphism in ZnT-8, which is known to associate with type 2 diabetes. These diabetes-prone offspring are characterised by a 19% decrease in first-phase insulin release following an intravenous glucose load, suggesting a role for this variant in the pathogenesis of pancreatic beta cell dysfunction.
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- De Frenne, P, et al.
(författare)
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Unraveling the effects of temperature, latitude and local environment on the reproduction of six forest herbs.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Global Ecology and Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1466-822X .- 1466-8238. ; 18:6, s. 641-651
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim To investigate the effect of temperature, latitude and local environment on the reproductive traits of widespread perennial forest herbs to better understand the potential impacts of rising temperatures on their population dynamics and colonization capacities.Location Six regions along a latitudinal gradient from France to Sweden.Methods Within each region, we collected data from three to five populations of up to six species. For each species, several variables were recorded in each region (temperature, latitude) and population (local abiotic and biotic environmental variables), and seed production and germination were estimated. Resource investment in reproduction (RIR) was quantified as seed number × seed mass, while germinable seed output (GSO) was expressed as seed number × germination percentage. We performed linear regression and mixed effect models to investigate the effects of temperature (growing degree hours), latitude and local abiotic and biotic environment on RIR and GSO.Results Temperature and latitude explained most of the variation in RIR and GSO for early flowering species with a northerly distribution range edge (Anemone nemorosa, Paris quadrifolia and Oxalis acetosella). Reproduction of the more southerly distributed species (Brachypodium sylvaticum, Circaea lutetiana and Primula elatior), in contrast, was independent of temperature/latitude. In the late summer species, B. sylvaticum and C. lutetiana, variation in RIR and GSO was best explained by local environmental variables, while none of the investigated variables appeared to be related to reproduction in P. elatior.Main conclusions We showed that reproduction of only two early flowering, northerly distributed species was related to temperature. This suggests that the potential reproductive response of forest herbs to climate warming partly depends on their phenology and distribution, but also that the response is to some extent species dependent. These findings should be taken into account when predictions about future shifts in distribution range are made.
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- Schlaepfer, T E, et al.
(författare)
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Vagus nerve stimulation for depression: Efficacy and safety in a European study.
- 2008
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Ingår i: Psychological Medicine. - 0033-2917 .- 1469-8978. ; 38:5, s. 651-661
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy is associated with a decrease in seizure frequency in partial-onset seizure patients. Initial trials suggest that it may be an effective treatment, with few side-effects, for intractable depression. Method: An open, uncontrolled European multi-centre study (D03) of VNS therapy was conducted, in addition to stable pharmacotherapy, in 74 patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Treatment remained unchanged for the first 3 months; in the subsequent 9 months, medications and VNS dosing parameters were altered as indicated clinically. Results: The baseline 28-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-28) score averaged 34. After 3 months of VNS, response rates (≥50% reduction in baseline scores) reached 37% and remission rates (HAMD-28 score <10) 17%. Response rates increased to 53% after 1 year of VNS, and remission rates reached 33%. Response was defined as sustained if no relapse occurred during the first year of VNS after response onset; 44% of patients met these criteria. Median time to response was 9 months. Most frequent side-effects were voice alteration (63% at 3 months of stimulation) and coughing (23%). Conclusions: VNS therapy was effective in reducing severity of depression; efficacy increased over time. Efficacy ratings were in the same range as those previously reported from a USA study using a similar protocol; at 12 months, reduction of symptom severity was significantly higher in the European sample. This might be explained by a small but significant difference in the baseline HAMD-28 score and the lower number of treatments in the current episode in the European study.
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- Partel, M, et al.
(författare)
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Grassland diversity related to the Late Iron Age human population density
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Ecology. - : Wiley. - 1365-2745 .- 0022-0477. ; 95:3, s. 574-582
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- 1 Species-rich semi-natural grasslands in Europe developed during prehistoric times and have endured due to human activity. At the same time, intensive grassland management or changes in land use may result in species extinction. As a consequence, plant diversity in semi-natural calcareous grasslands may be related to both historical and current human population density. 2 We hypothesize that current vascular plant diversity in semi-natural calcareous grasslands is positively correlated with the Late Iron Age (c. 800-1000 years ago) density of human settlements (indicated by Late Iron Age fortresses and villages) due to enhancement of grassland extent and species dispersal, and negatively correlated with current human population density due to habitat loss and deterioration. 3 We described the size of the community vascular plant species pool, species richness per 1 m(2) and the relative richness (richness divided by the size of the species pool) in 45 thin soil, calcareous (alvar) grasslands in Estonia. In addition to historical and current human population density we considered simultaneously the effects of grassland area, connectivity to other alvar grasslands, elevation above sea level (indicating grassland age), soil pH, soil N, soil P, soil depth, soil depth heterogeneity, geographical east-west gradient, precipitation and spatial autocorrelation. 4 Both the size of the community species pool and the species richness are significantly correlated with the Late Iron Age human population density. In addition, species richness was unimodally related to the current human population density. The relative richness (species 'packing density') was highest in the intermediate current human population densities, indicative of moderate land-use intensity. 5 Community species pool size decreased non-linearly with increasing soil N, and was highest at intermediate elevation. Small-scale richness was greater when sites were well connected and when the elevation was intermediate. Spatial autocorrelation was also significant for both species pool size and small-scale richness. 6 In summary, human land-use legacy from prehistoric times is an important aspect in plant ecology, which could be an important contributor to the current variation in biodiversity.
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